Battle of Chemulpo Bay
About Battle of Chemulpo Bay
A Japanese gun crew works a cannon as the Russian cruiser Variag and the gunboat Koreitz leave Chemulpo harbor. The Japanese fleet fires, and both Russian ships sink before they can turn back into the bay. Edison's summary sells the view as the engagement. It is a staged picture, not footage of the 9 February 1904 battle.
Cast & crew
More about Battle of Chemulpo Bay
The AFI Catalog credits Edwin S. Porter as cameraman, with production on 8 April 1904 and release on 20 April 1904 at 150 feet. Thomas A. Edison copyrighted it on 12 April 1904 as H44434. Edison and Kleine Optical put it out in a Russo-Japanese War series, and Wikidata times it at 3 minutes.
Themes
Background
Chemulpo, now Incheon, was the harbor where Japanese ships engaged the Variag and the Koreets on 9 February 1904. Edison released this reenactment two months later.
Look
Porter filmed the reenactment for Edison, staged as a gun deck and a harbor action.
Preservation
The Library of Congress holds paper prints from the Kleine collection and later 16mm reductions.
Notes
- The New York Clipper noted the film on 23 April 1904.
- Silent Era records paper prints and 16mm reductions in the Library of Congress, including the George Kleine collection.
- The ships named in the Edison text are the Variag and the Koreitz.
Scenes
- Japanese sailors serve the gun.
- The two Russian ships go down short of the harbor.
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (Battle of Chemulpo Bay edison.ogv)
